Bergers' Blog

Little People

2010-12-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

Tonight Cade measured himself on our wall to see if he has grown. He was so sad to find out he has only grown about a 1/4 inch since his birthday. I tried to sympathize with him stating it's only been 4 months and that he takes after the Bergers' side. He just stared at me and said, "but I don't want to be a dwarf." (sorry grandpa♥)

9-1-1?

2010-12-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

Although we didn't have to call 911 we did have our first fire (and NO it wasn't due to my cooking). Candles are a big thing in our house. They cover up, mask, eliminate all the smells due to stinky boys, dogs and microwaved eggbeaters. However, when the candles are placed a little too closely to Jolly O' St. Nick this is what happens....

Finally!

2010-12-02T19:39:00.001-08:00

I know it's been a long time but I couldn't pass up this perfect time to start posting again.

It's Suh's birthday!

I love her, my kids adore her and Jess tolerates her because of this I will glady accept the title, "Crazy Dog Lady." She is truly one of the best gifts my husband could have ever given me.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Dancin' machine

2010-04-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

Who knew our oldest would have moves like this! Well, if you check the old home videos I guess we should have known those Ninja Turtle moves would eventually turn into this:

Love this

2010-04-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Whatever you give a woman, she will make it greater. Give her sperm, she will give you a baby. Give her a house, she will give you a home. Give her groceries, she will give you a meal. Give her a smile, she will give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what she is given. So if you give her crap, be ready to receive a ton of ....

Parenting

2010-04-06T17:05:00.001-07:00

I often have parenting days that are let's say......less than stellar. These are the times that I question why God let me even be a parent let alone three times. It's in these moments that I am sure my children will grow up warped, on medication or in therapy. Then God gives me a reprieve and I get to read something like this......

My Mom

Cute

Funny (sometimes)

Cool

Busy

Respectful

Responsible

Hard Worker

Fun

Creative

Good Cooker

What I Notice
My mom cooks very well, just ike me. She always says that I'm better than her but I say that we are just the same.

What I Think
This makes me think of how me and her have a bunch of connections like cooking, baking and hair! I love my mom because she works hard every day for me, my brother and sister.

My Mom
Whenever I start cooking I think of my mom. My mom loves to cook just like me. I've learned everything from her, just like when she learned everything from her mom (my grandma). This makes me think of how great of a team me and my mom can be at cooking.

Maybe, just maybe, we could beat the best chef...HA!!! Just kidding around, but I bet we'd be a pretty good team.

I love my mom and hope we can be together forever cooking, baking or you name it. This also makes me think of how busy I and her are and maybe take a day to chill out and hang out together to get a closer connection.

By: Aric Bergers

Shamrock Run 2010

2010-03-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

Masses of people
Love this guy!

Yummy beer!

Salmon Chowder....YUCK!

Pre-race coffee

This is the second year for me entering the Shamrock Run but this time we drug our significant others with us! For not training one lick I actually surprised myself and think I could have ran the whole way (at my pace of course) but thankfully I was partnered with Kevin so that wasn't necessary. It was FREEZING cold and I actually ran with 5 layers of clothing on and didn't break a sweat until the end. Maybe next year I'll actually be prepared......or not.

Pretty Puppy

2010-03-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

I am officially the crazy dog lady....and Avery too! We took Suh to our local Petco and played dress-up. It was a tough choice but we decided on this cute little pink dress. The boys shockingly said nothing but were a little worried the stripes were going the wrong direction for slimness. ♥

Mother of the year

2010-03-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Jess was at home with the kids, it was a nice day out and they were playing outside.....together......nicely. Why would I want to interrupt that peacefulness? I was just really proud of them for wearing their helmets and thinking "out of the box". Under the mattress is about 4 skateboards and some plywood. Jess on the other hand didn't think it was such a good idea they had come up with.

Check it out!

2010-03-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

In February I hosted a bridal shower for my sister-in-law Vic. Overall it went pretty well, she received some very nice things and I somehow was able to squeeze 25 people into my living room. I thankfully was not in charge of games because I hate them and so does she. She definitely DID NOT want to play the toilet paper wedding dress game but this was a far cry from that. Her Great Aunt put this together with only tape, a stapler and a couple bobby pins. The "material" was just the tissue paper from all the gifts she opened. AMAZING!!!!
Bridesmaids-yes I know that I am a head taller than EVERYONE!

Mother of the groom

Bride and Avery the flower girl

Mother of the Bride

The beautiful bow bouquet that I made

Suh

2010-02-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is Suh (pronounced Sue). She is our family dog and I LOVE her! Jess and I finally convinced ourselves that a dog could survive our three children so our search began. It took several months to research what type of dog, cost and etc. but we found her. So far she has been great and the kids aren't even bored with her yet!

Leaving a legacy

2009-12-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

Melvin Richard Murray

1915-2009

For our family it’s impossible to focus on only one memory. Grandpa was a man of little words but many actions that fill our hearts and minds full of memories. Here are just a few that make us smile:
Black coffee, comics, a penny for a pine cone, Enchanted Forest, three strands of hair that he would never cut, The Price is Right, fried tacos, fill-in puzzles, quilting, cheese and olive pizza, Jeopardy, donut holes, grandfather clocks, feeding the ducks, push lawnmower, kiss on the cheek, his glasses, church, candy box in the car, his recliner chair, cribbage, roasted almonds, mince meat pie, the camp meeting snack shack, wood working, math, suspenders, baseball hat and three kisses for grandma.

O' Christmas Tree

2009-12-06T14:56:00.000-08:00

Another year, another tree and another video. The boys did not disappoint this year as they showed their "teamwork" in cutting down our Christmas tree. I truly believe they will be best friends one of these days and until then God is just teaching me patience.

A ♥ For The Homeless

2009-11-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I picked up Avery after school and headed to our bank. I had packed a lunch for her because I thought she would be hungry and she proceeded to eat and chat my ear off. We came to a stop at one of the lights and there was a homeless man standing there with his sign. She immediately started asking questions about him and reminding me of her Uncle Ken who was once homeless. Then she asked if she could give him her sandwich. At that moment I said no because I truly thought she was trying to get out of eating it herself. Boy was I wrong! She constantly reminds me about the homeless guy who was hungry and I wouldn't let her feed him, and if it was Uncle Ken would I let her feed him and so on and so on. Needless to say, I have felt guilty about it ever since.

To ease my conscience, on our trip to Salem I knew there would be a homeless man on the Market Street exit and told Avery to get ready. She knew exactly what I was talking about and had her muffin ready. We came to a stop and she had her window rolled down. The man walked over quickly and Avery asked if he would like to have her muffin. He said thank you and immediately started eating it. She was beaming and so proud that he was eating it! My heart melted at that moment thinking what a wonderful selfless heart she has. Since that day she now carries 2 lunch bags in the car that are ready to be handed out to the next person that needs it. On those bags she has attached a note with a verse that she knew by heart.

Genisis 1:31 God looked at everything he had made and it was very good.

In memory of Ken Bergers

Halloween

2009-11-12T19:15:00.001-08:00

End of a Season

2009-11-12T19:12:00.001-08:00

Double Digits

2009-10-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Aric is now 10 years old and yes I am always amazed at how fast time goes. Some days I wish I could go back and other days I wish I could jump forward but today we celebrate. Here are my "Top Ten" moments, thoughts and qualities of Aric.....

1. Bringing him home in the infant seat, setting him on the couch and wondering what are we supposed to do with him.

2. Thinking....man this kid eats a lot (somethings haven't changed much).

3. Watching him with his brother and knowing without a doubt that after the fighting, wrestling and messing around he loves him like no other.
4. Wondering if he would actually EVER wear clothes.

5. A definite leader of the pack.

6. Pointing to the scoreboard during any sporting event making sure EVERYONE knows when his team is ahead.....competitive to the bitter end.

7. A collector of "things"

8. Registering in his brain that he "should" be cautious or wary of certain adventures but then just going for it anyway.

9. Hunting is in his blood. Though we would love to believe that he will follow his grandpa's rule of one shot one kill we know that he has too much of his daddy and Great Uncle Gene's blood to be a part of that club.

10. Just like his father he makes me laugh each and every day.

Probably not a good idea

2009-10-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Aric and Cade were miraculously playing together nicely with the football outside.

Aric comes inside to ask if I could help him get down the ladder.

Ladder is down, I go back inside.

I notice the ladder on the back deck next to the house.

I find two boys trying to get the football off the roof and having a great time doing it!

Don't tell dad.

Hunting 2009

2009-10-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Race For The Cure 2009

2009-10-10T15:24:00.001-07:00

all about i

2009-09-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

I am frustrated that everything keeps breaking at our house!

I wish I had a bigger house. I love my house but it's a little squishy at times.

I have an addiction to Big Hunks (candy). Kevin bought me my own box at Cash & Carry in July for my birthday and I now only have 3 left!

I wish i had a crystal ball to look into the future to see how we turn out.

I hate having to tip waitresses, hair dressers, barista's.....This is a BIG pet peeve of mine and Jess and I go round and round about it every time!

I miss the simplicity of being a kid.

I fear death. Not exactly dieing because I believe in Jesus and know that I will be in a far better place but I fear how I'm going to die.....old age, disease, car accident....etc....

I hear the crackling of a fire as I'm sitting on the deck with my hubby on a beautiful quiet night.

I smell like a campfire, which for some reason I love.

I am realizing I am more of a control freak than I thought.

I crave salt. I guess that means PMS is on it's way.

I search for balance in my home, family, work etc....

I wonder if i am being the best mom that I can be at all times.

I want to be a size 6 desperately! But know it's not reality.

I regret not going to college even though I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

I love wearing brand new clothes not even washed yet.

I ache when one of my kids have been hurt and I can't fix it.

I am not the best cook. I think we all realize this except for the neighbor boy who thinks my noodles with butter are AWESOME!

I believe in God. I talk to him daily and find peace and comfort through him.

I dance....well you know..... I used to dance as a Cavalette but not anymore.

I sing terribly! Even my kids ask me to stop singing in the car.

I cry at any sad story, good books, when I'm PMS'ing, or when I let my husband down or as he says for "stupid reasons".

I fight with my second child because he is so much like me and my husband we don't know how to parent him.

I win sometimes at Bi-Mart on Tuesdays when they have their give-aways. I've won a bag of licorice and a belt sander.

I lose loaves of bread. Yes, it's true. I just couldn't remember where I put it.

I never say can't. It's a bad word in our house because you should always at least try.

I always fear large crowds of people when I have my kids with me. It is the worst!

I confuse my husband on a daily basis.

I listen to 102.7.....I took to heart "garbage in...garbage out", so this is what I listen too. That and I didn't think it was right for my 6 year old to be singing "Riding dirty"!

I can bake a great apple pie......from scratch!

I am scared of small spaces.

I need quiet time, everyday

I am happy that the kids are back in school.

I imagine what our future will be like when the kids are grown and we have no one but ourselves.

I tag everyone. That's right

Rick the Wooly Bear Caterpiller

2009-09-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

Cade came home from school yesterday with the biggest smile on his face, which is VERY unusual for him. All this excitement came from his new pet! Tucked away in a pocket of his backpack was Rick, a wooly bear caterpiller. Now I know he is a wooly bear because Cade and I spent who knows how long looking him up on google. We learned how to feed him, and give him a proper house. He is truly excited about him and stands around watching him and caring for him. He even put him in the car so I could take him to work with me and make sure he was ok. Sadly, I don't think Rick will be able to turn into that Tiger Moth he was destin to be since we don't have his originial food plant (who knew that was so important!) I'm thinking guinea pig should be our next pet, both physically and literally. ♥

Miss Ave's turns 6

2009-09-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it was six years ago that I was locked in my bathroom balling my eyes out looking at the clear blue easy stick read two lines(pregnant). Aric (3.5), Cade (1.5) were pounding on the door calling for daddy saying "mommy is freaking out again.....come home!" So sad but true. It took me a long time to adjust to the idea of 3 kids. Pre-marriage I had always wanted 3 but had agreed and compromised to two and my mind was set that I was done being pregnant and I would always be a mom of all boys. I can honestly say now that thankfully God had other plans. Our family has been blessed by Miss Avery who each day makes us laugh, reminds us that life is not all about football and bodily functions, can turn any room upside down in the matter of minutes, loves all animals even though they may be only a fish or stuffed dog and would rather carry around a teenage mutant ninja turtle than any cabbage patch doll. Happy Birthday pretty girl.....our life would not be the same without you!

Da.....Da.......Da Dum...

2009-09-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

It took some time and A LOT of patience but Kevin and Vicki Ann are officially engaged!! To set the scene we all enjoyed the Huskers opening game win at the watch party of over 400 people in attendance. After the game we were headed to the Bergers' where unbeknownst to Vic, Kevin's parents and brother joined us. I'm not sure how she didn't catch on to why we were all in one place at the same time but she didn't. After a few moments of all of us chatting Kevin nervously grabbed Vic's hands and started saying some beautiful words that I can't remember and ended in "Will you marry me?" Let the wedding planning begin or should I say continue???

It's All About Riding The Bus

2009-09-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

Avery's first "official" real day of school was Thursday, September 10th. This was a very special day since it was her birthday and she turned 6 years old. It went a lot better than the melt-down day on the previous post which was just an orientation day. All she wanted to do was ride the bus with the big kids so of course I let her ride the bus. Now I know some of you mommies are gasping at the thought of letting a kindy ride the bus but I really don't care. She loved it! Plus it helps that her brothers are on there and all of her neighbor friends too. I would post the "real" picture of her on the bus but I forgot my camera that day so we had to re-enact the moment the next day. ♥

First Day of School

2009-09-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

The first day of school actually didn't go to bad. The boys were up and dressed by 6:15am (just a little excited). Avery had picked out her clothes the night before so no problems there.......WAIT! Yes big problems there!! Apparently our mistake was that she didn't try them on the night before so how was she supposed to know that they "just didn't feel right". This realization of course happened just as we were going to head out the door and her oldest brother said that he didn't like the dress she was wearing. After that was said it was all melt-down mode. Sadly I quickly gave in to the tantrum, got her changed into a dress she has worn before (and knew she liked) and had just enough time for a quick photo. Don't you love her smile. ♥

Breakfast Woes

2009-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it was possible but you CAN actually burn instant oatmeal. That is if you microwave it without putting the water in. I think I need an intervention.

Master Manipulator

2009-08-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why but it seems my kids teeth are coming out every other day lately. Yesterday Aric pulled out another one and I didn't think anything of it. That was until he reminded me that he "knows" about the tooth fairy. This is how are conversation went:

Aric: Am I going to get any money for this?

Me: No.

Aric: Well, you know if there is no money when I wake up then the "kids" will start to wonder why and I wouldn’t want them to find out about the tooth fairy.

Me: I gave him two bucks.

Grandma Toothfairy

2009-08-09T23:23:00.001-07:00

Grandma B. had the pleasure of playing toothfairy for Avery while Jess and I were on our Bend trip this year. Thanks to "uncle" Kevin Avery now believes that when you lose your tooth at grandma's house not only does she bring you money but candy too! I'm sure we'll pay him back one day when he has kids.

107 degrees = HOT, HOT, HOT

2009-08-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

I tried not to complain but it was impossible. Riding on a motorcycle when it's 107 degrees in long pants and boots is completely unbearable. It was at this point I was kicking myself for worrying about safety and not throwing on my swimsuit to ride in. It wasn't until we reached Mt Hood that I felt like I could breathe again and finally start to enjoy our mini-vacay and annual trip to the Wolsky B&B. Gracious hosts that they are we had a fabulous time and hit all our favorite spots and some new ones....

Eight, Ocho, huit, acht, Octo

2009-08-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

Yes there were times that we weren't sure but he made it......Cade is 8! These past few months he has been an absolute gem as his birthday approached and even though I know it was all to butter us up for some gifts I don't care! He's been great!! Happy birthday kiddo...now we can count down to Christmas!

Goals

2009-05-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

I've never been one that likes to set goals because I HATE not being able to achieve them but, none-the-less I decided to set myself 2 goals for the summer.
Goal #1: Teach Avery to ride a 2-wheel bike
Goal #2: Teach Avery how to read
I realize these are both Avery related goals and it's not that I'm favoring her over the boys. It's just that Avery and Jess have had their fair share of "issues" over the last five years and it's best that I attempt to teach her these life skills and spare them any more drama. I know it's not summer yet but the kids had a day off from school and the weather was beautiful so I packed up there bikes and them and headed to a local grade school. It took exactly ONE try and she had it! She was off and riding by herself goal #1 accomplished. My sister soon joined us with her two kids and I was hoping for some more practice out of Avery but no such luck. She had absolutely no interest in continuing to ride. Oh well......job well done.

Fearless

2009-05-13T18:30:00.001-07:00

That was the theme for Mother's Day weekend. Now I would love to say that it's because we as mothers are fearless at times, but really it was all about the raccoon. This little critter provided over an hour of entertainment around our campfire just because I threw out a few left over chips. He just got braver and braver on his hunt for food and our campsite was his perfect haven with 7 kids running around dropping tidbits of food as they go. We spent Friday to Sunday at Silver Falls campground hiking, eating, playing and just sitting around. IT WAS GREAT! A Mother's Day weekend to remember for sure!

Camping Part II: Nehalem Bay

2009-04-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Easter

2009-04-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm.....I think I failed at Easter this year. Sadly we did not dye Easter eggs this time around even though I have the kits. My picture taking abilities failed miserably as I only got a few shots of the kids and none during their actual egg hunt. And it just doesn't seem like Easter when you go to church on Saturday afternoon to avoid the crowds of Sunday. We totally missed out on our Sunday morning family fighting, scrambling and rushing trying to get out the door, and not to mention the always joyous (bickering) car ride to church. The good thing is I don't think the kids will be able to remember this as a bad year as they were well sugared up by the grandma's and enjoyed hunting for over 200 eggs! I had to chuckle and post these photos of Jess and I when we were both about 3 years old on Easter. Notice the amount of eggs we hunted for compared to the amount of eggs my kids hunt for.

Ping

2009-04-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

THE ANSWER: No, not until you're older, never, no way, absolutely not and don't even ask.

THE QUESTION: Can we PLEASE have a dog????

Well we didn't get a dog but we did dog sit for the last ten days and it went GREAT! I'm a sucker for easy money and thought it would be a great way to see just how we would do as a family with a "real" pet. Our first day did not go so well with three potty accidents on the carpet. Jess was not very happy and I was beginning to think this was going to be the longest 10 days of my life having to clean up after this dog and listen to Jess say, "I told you so." Maybe the dog was just mad at his owner for leaving him but after the first day we didn't have any more problems. He was a great dog that loved to snuggle in my lap, play with the kids and went pretty much everywhere with us. All the kids were wonderful caretakers and once Cade and Avery figured out they could pay Aric to be the pooper scooper everyone was happy. Does this mean we're ready for a dog? Nope. Although I loved having him and if he needed a home I would take him in a heartbeat I'm just not ready. Hopefully his owner will take lots of trips and we'll just be his surrogate owners. ♥

Bend 09'

2009-04-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

One thing you may not know about me is that I truly am a "blonde" when it comes to driving. I have lived in Oregon my entire life and practically in the same place for almost 34 years. You would think I would know my way around the entire state by now but unfortunately I have not a clue. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that I realized I drove over I-205 everyday on my way to school. It's also pretty sad that once when I was forced to take a detour I just followed whoever was in front of me hoping that I would end up some place that looked remotely familiar and able to find my way back home. Needless to say Jess always drives whenever we are riding together. If I do have to go somewhere unfamiliar he will either do a practice drive with me or has now found the wonderful world of google maps with street views! Anyhow, what I'm getting at is at the end of Spring Break I decided to be adventurous and drive the kids to Bend to visit my brother and family. Wow! you would have thought I was driving to Nebraska with everyone calling and questioning if I was really going to drive there......by myself. Apparently they have little faith in me or just know my track record. Long story short WE MADE IT AND BACK! I was so proud of myself and now my poor sister-in-law is going to have a lot more company.....more often!

Spring Break

2009-03-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of March I started panicking about how I was going to keep the kids busy during Spring Break. That's when I got the bright idea to go camping. What was I thinking? Who camps in March? I booked a spot at Champoeg State Park, a place I wanted to check out, and it was close to Jess' work so he could commute from the campground. He actually did it! What an awesome husband!! He woke up every morning in the freezing wet coldness and got ready at the campground bathrooms, then after work he came back. I'm not sure I would have been so nice if I was the one having to go to work.

Despite the rainy moments we still were able to get in lots of bike rides, fishing, games and campfires and the rest of the week were heading to Bend so I'll post more about that later.

Alumni?

2009-03-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

I realize with every passing birthday I'm growing older but my mind tells me I'm still young and my husband tells me I still look young. However, I have noticed I don't get carded anymore and not too many are surprised that the three kids attached to my hip are mine. It's not supposed to bother me and for the most part it doesn't but there are times that I'm in awe of how fast time has gone by. For example... Avery and I went to the state dance team competition with both the grandmas, my niece Logan and Vicki-Ann. We all know Vic and I were both on the dance team and have very fond memories of the whole experience. This was my first time back in many, many years to actually watch. I sat by this pleasant girl and in making conversation I asked what team she was rooting for. I was pleased when she said she was here for Clackamas. That's when I should have ended the conversation, but no, I pressed further and said that Vic and I were both on the team. She smiled sweetly and said so was she.......in 07'. WHAT?!?! I guess I was in shock but I should have known by her long hair, tanned face and size 2 jeans that she was a mere baby but than again in my head I look just like her so why wouldn't she be in her 30's too? Anyhow, I think I mumbled what year I actually was on the team and hoped she didn't realize we weren't even in the same decade!

Shamrock run

2009-03-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Shamrock run was this last Sunday and for some reason I decided to join my SIL in running the 5k. She has become quite the avid runner making sure she gets her run on everyday and has even completed a half marathon. Impressive I know. Me on the other hand spend my time on the treadmill in my garage......walking. I think I must have been having one of those "I'm 30ish" moments when I start thinking what have I done with my life? So I decided I could do this. Well....I did it! I even technically ran the whole way!! It felt pretty good to finish and might even inspire me to go again.

Jean fetish

2009-03-05T17:22:00.001-08:00

I have come to the conclusion that I have a serious "jeans" fetish. I have fat jeans, skinny jeans, jeans I wear only with flip flops, jeans I wear only with heels, dressy jeans, casual jeans, camping jeans, dark jeans, light jeans etc... I'm obsessed. I literally wear them everyday and use that as an excuse as to why I have so many of them and feel the need to purchase even more. My only problem is I HATE trying them on in the store. I used to make my sister come with me and we would take a stack of all sizes in the dressing room. She patiently waited and only laughed a little as I would try and squeeze myself into the size I thought I should be. If that particular size didn't fit I wouldn't buy the next size up...no way...I would just move on to the next brand. The only thing I've noticed lately is that if I want to buy my favorite size than the jeans become a little more expensive. Why is that? Why should any pair of jeans cost such a ridiculous amount money? Why doesn't that amount detour me from buying them? Because I LOVE THEM!!

p.s. Thanks mom for my latest pair ♥....and for keeping my obsession alive eventhough Jess has put me on a budget......I think they are my favorite so far!

The Tooth Fairy is a liar.....

2009-03-03T07:11:00.000-08:00

Scene I: Aric pulled his tooth out in anticipation of the Tooth Fairy bringing him money.

Reality: Tooth Fairy fell asleep and forgot to come.

Outcome: Aric managed to blame himself saying he moved around a lot during

the night and his tooth got pushed to the side. Being the good parents we are

we went with that story unable to come up with anything better.

Scene II: Aric went to bed again with tooth under pillow.

Reality: Tooth Fairy remembered! Put $2 under pillow with a note saying thanks for the

second chance.

Outcome: Aric awoke, found note, found me and demanded to know why I wrote that note!

Conclusion: At this point Jess joined us and we explained as gently as we could that we were actually the Tooth Fairy. His response was not one we expected......at all. He immediately teared up, shouted that we were LIARS and tried to push past us to retreat to his room. We were talking pretty fast at this point trying to calm him down, while restraining him, and explaining that he could not ruin it for the other two who still believe. He wanted no part of it! In his mind we lied, played a cruel joke and he WOULD NOT be "playing along". I started to panic thinking what have we done? How are we going to convince him that this was supposed to be fun and cute and memorable? After a few minutes, Jess was able to work his magic on him. He agreed to not tell his siblings and we agreed to not make him an accomplice to our lies.

Moral of the story: You're better off not forgetting to put the money under the pillow!!

Girls are so much smarter than boys!

2009-02-24T10:47:00.001-08:00

I guess I should really be saying "sneakier" than boys as I found that out this morning. When Avery was just a little one we saw signs that she had a GREAT aversion to any food with texture. She simply refused to eat that stage 3 baby food and I really couldn't blame her because those chunks of food mixed in with the smooth flavor were enough to make me gag at the sight of it let alone put it in my mouth. When she was three her eating habits hadn't improved much and she was then showing signs of being a vegetarian! I know, I know....how could that be in a family that hunts and then eats their prey? Well we knew when Jess had caught her spitting out her chewed up chicken in the toilet after she asked to be excused from the dinner table to go potty. Wow! Was all we could say. How did she know to do that? The boys NEVER figured out how to fool us like that and still can't to this day. Whatever food they are made to eat they do even if it takes them hours to finish it. That's why I was shocked again when I was doing a quick clean up job around the house and found vitamins stashed everywhere! I knew they were Avery's immediately since hers are the only white ones. The more I looked the more I found. Under my bed, under her bed, behind the dresser and even behind the toilet! When I finally found her to ask if she had been taking her vitamins she simply just shrugged and grinned still to sweet to lie. Saying she just didn't like the way they melted on her tongue. As much as I hope her honesty lasts forever I'm not that naive and I've definitely learned I need to clean much more often!

Principals office......again.

2009-01-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

I knew that something was up when I asked the boys how their day at school went and my eldest quickly replied, "I need to tell you something......in private." Making a mental note to check on Cade who was brooding under his jacket with hood pulled up, I followed Aric to his bedroom. Once in the room he looked at me with these big eyes and quickly stated he had good news and not so good news. Not saying a word I simply cocked my head and raised my eyebrows and he continued. He started off by explaining he was in the principals office today but was quick to point out he didn't get in trouble and it wasn't his fault. Now, I love my son dearly but I know him all to well and at this admission am beginning to question his claim of "innocence". Starting from the beginning I learned there were some words expressed by a friend of his at lunch that Aric felt were inappropriate and should not be said at school. Aric asked his friend to stop and when he didn't he just decided to leave and go to recess. (At this point I was thinking WOW he actually used good judgement - maybe, just maybe, some things might be sinking into that head of his. Now I'm wondering where exactly does the principal part come into play?) Once outside and involved in a game the same friend asked to join in and Aric remained silent. Ahhh....the good ol' silent treatment will fix the problem. Apparently the silence just escalated the anger and that's when his friend just slapped him "for no reason at all". Now I'm quickly grasping the whole picture. When I asked, "Did you tell him why you wouldn't let him play?" he just squirmed and said, "no." We hashed out the need for him to explain the reasoning to his friend as opposed to completely shutting him out and ignoring him. Overall I'm pleased that he showed good judgement, didn't engage in a fight, and was honest with me about the incident. We obviously still need a little work with the communication portion of his problem solving.

Boys being boys, there are no hard feelings and as far as they're concerned the entire event is ancient history. My hope is that he won't see the inside of the principals office again but then again this is Aric that we're talking about.

Wanted: Black Pug Puppy

2009-01-12T23:58:00.001-08:00

He has said no for a very long time but I finally see a crack in his armor. While on a date the other day the topic of wanting a dog came up........ again. I began my argument this time by expressing that we should get a dog now while I am still at home with the kids and can spend time with it. At first I thought it was pointless but then out of the blue Jess says, " Find a black pug puppy for $200 and we can talk." I couldn't believe my ears! Of course I only heard the first part of that sentence and so my search for a pug began! It hasn't been that easy though, and not because there is a lack of pugs for sale on the web because there are PLENTY. I just have to find the right price. Jess actually came across some that are a year old, litter boxed trained and have all their shots (I might have to follow up on those.) I think there names were Samson or Molly or Uther I can't remember, they are all running together in my mind. I quickly got excited and felt as though we would have a puppy soon until Jess reminded me of the last part of that sentence. The part that said, "then we'll talk." I hate that part. I'm going to be working on my "sweet talk" soon so pray that his armor will crack. P.S. our kids know nothing about this dog search as they would not be able to contain themselves and would be devastated if dad said NO......again.

My New Obsession

2009-01-12T23:45:00.000-08:00

FACEBOOK! Long story short I recently rejoined facebook and am completely hooked just like my poor husband thought I would be. I tried to tell him it wouldn't happen but he knows me too well! It's amazing how you can connect with all these different people that are or have been a part of your life. Right now I'm having fun with it but hopefully it's newness will fade......for Jess' sake at least. :-)

Captain Cool C.J. and The Aricanator 2000

2009-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

One day the boys decided to create their own comic so I thought I would post it since it has been one of the only times that they worked for days without arguing about it!

Indoor football

2008-12-31T18:23:00.000-08:00

When I bought the flag football set for Cade for Christmas my goal was for the boys to play OUTSIDE!!! They could gather their neighborhood friends and burn off energy and enjoy the game of football. Little did I know that it would be raining for days on end and the field would be set up in my living room with dad as the opposing team. Let me remind you that dad has deemed this the "no-kids" room not because our couches are free from stains or the carpet is clear of any mysterious spots. He just likes one room in our quaint home to remain clutter free unless, that is, if it is being used as our football field. Before I could even get the dishes cleared from the table the game was set up and on with Aric/Avery vs. Dad. Cade got to view from the sidelines (dinner table) because he refused to eat the lasagna that dad cooked for dinner. Which by the way was fabulous with the Bruschetta that he made from scratch. It didn't last long before we had flags thrown and the word "cheater" thrown around. The kids were no match for dad and I believe his ending words were "I own you!"

2:38am

2008-12-25T22:32:00.000-08:00

That was the time that our eldest decided to quietly creep into our room, come to MY side of the bed and gently tap me on the shoulder trying to wake me from a dead sleep to see if we could open Christmas presents. He just as quietly retreated back to his room after being shut down. At 4ish I heard our door squeak again and rolled over to greet his sweet face and remind him that it was not time yet. Six o'clock didn't get by either with out him trying to rouse us from our slumber. Finally at 7:30am he joined forces with his brother and sister and succeeded in getting us out of bed and to the tree. Boxes and wrapping paper everywhere it was over in a flash and everyone was happy (except dad who has the privilege of "some assembly required").

After our lazy morning we headed over to my parents house to celebrate the day with them, my sisters family and my grandparents who were rescued earlier this week from the snow thankfully by Jess. We filled ourselves with our traditional fondue, twice baked potatoes and jello salad. Later we topped it off with Jenelle's homemade pumpkin cheesecake. YUMMY! Due to the severe heat wave, that is my mother's house, the little kids and big kids quickly opted to head outside and take full advantage of the four-wheeler and snow.

Konnichi wa!

2008-12-25T20:45:00.000-08:00

For those that may not know Konnichi wa is hello in Japanese and that is where are Christmas Eve began. We spent a great evening at Bush Gardens with Jess' family where we ate and drank until we were merry. Although we were a bit worried about food choices for the kiddo's it turned out to be no problem and the boys couldn't get enough! Shoes were a no no which for my kids is awesome plus we had our own dining room and sat on pillows. Once we were back home the kids could hardly wait to open gifts and among the favorites were legos, electric scooters, drum set and for Avery her new stuffed puppy and a Husker cheerleading outfit. We are very blessed and had a wonderful night.

Twice in one week!

2008-12-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

Not even pizza is easy for me.

I bet you didn't believe it could happen but it did. Dinner is ruined again and Papa Murphy comes to the rescue! I am SO glad I have them on speed dial! After my husband took a two hour trip in the snow to pick me up from work today we stopped by the store to pick up a quick and easy lasagna dinner. We made it home and I started preheating the oven only to discover that this quick dinner takes TWO hours to cook when it's frozen. Woops! That was definitely not the easy answer. I dialed up our favorite and cheap stand-by and Jess is out the door to pick it up. Soon after he left I started smelling smoke. I didn't think much of it as I cooked Carmel corn the night before and thought a few kernels must have dropped on the bottom of the oven. No worries. Then I started seeing smoke coming out of the oven door and the air vent. Not to panic I quickly opened the door to find billowing smoke pouring out everywhere. I then found the pan to the Carmel corn with small flames all around it still sitting in the oven. I wish this was a scratch and sniff because my pizza just isn't tasting the same and my quick and easy dinner has now cost me around $30. We should have just gone out in the first place.

Ham

2008-12-19T06:38:00.000-08:00

Ever cooked it? That's the beauty of ham it's precooked! At least that's what I thought when I decided to pull out a ham for dinner last night. It's amazing in itself that I actually thought ahead as far as what's for dinner but none the less I still managed to screw it up. We all know I'm no Betty Crocker when it comes to making meals but I did pull out the old cook book to see how exactly I'm supposed to heat up this ham. I easily flipped to the meat section and found the roasting guide, set the oven temp, turned on the timer and waited eagerly for the delicious smell of cooking ham. My first clue that something had gone terribly wrong should have been that there was no delicious smell of ham when the timer beeped. Second clue was that my ham was only slightly warm to the touch after an hour and half in the oven. What happened you asked? Did I throw a fit and rant and rave about hating to cook? Did I threaten that we needed to go out to dinner because I screwed up again? Yes, to all of the above. I'm sure you are wondering what went wrong and thankfully I'm able to laugh at myself and will explain. My first error was that dreaded cookbook. I wasn't aware that the "internal temp" of the ham should be 140 degrees instead of the oven. Second error is that they have the nerve to wrap that stupid ham in plastic which does not cook very well in an oven. Third error is that I thought this was going to be an easy dinner. After my minor melt down and the fact that my sweet husband was dressed and ready to go out if needed WE managed to salvage my ham by quickly slicing it up and throwing it on the BBQ for all to enjoy.

What were they thinking????

2008-12-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Who would do such a thing as put gravel on icy roads??? That is exactly what my kids woke up to this morning. They are obviously upset but have found new ways of sledding down the sidewalks. Anything to keep them from climbing the walls because of being cooped up and home from school.

Oh Christmas Tree.....

2008-12-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

Don't let the smiling faces fool you. Our tree hunt wasn't always filled with oh so much merry or joy. It pretty much started off with a melt down on the car ride there (the child's name will be omitted to protect their privacy). That issue was solved by the time we got there however, and for a short while things were going great. We got our saw and tarp and headed off into the trees. The boys had their annual chase/hide-and-go-seek game with dad. Avery and I wondered aimlessly through 100's of trees. It wasn't until it came down to which tree we were going to pick did the arguing start. This one is too tall, too short, too fat, too skinny, why don't you ever pick the tree I like?, the top is not right and so on... After all of that a tree is somehow agreed upon and the boys get to work sawing it down. This is their first year working together to try and cut it down and by no surprise to me it didn't go very well. They started off great but attitudes came quick and then the tears followed. Jess and I stood by giggling to ourselves thinking WOW THIS IS FUN! After what seemed like a lifetime the tree fell over and the three of them carried it to the car. Amazingly the tears dried up at the mention of free candy canes and all was right in the world again. Somehow I think we will definitely remember these tree hunts.

MIA

2008-11-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

Yep, I've been Missing In Action because nothing is going on around here. Shocking I know but ever since football season ended we actually have stayed home. No women's bible study, no life group, no sports (except basketball just started), no shopping......nothing. I'm beginning to think it's not such a good thing. I've become a hermit which has put me in not so much of a good mood. Definitely something to work on.

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-03T18:14:00.001-08:00

After all these years of trick-or-treating I have never walked with the kids door-to-door. Jess was always the one to endure the rain, sleet and bitter coldness. :-) Except this year Jess was gone elk hunting which meant my turn is now. In the beginning I thought it would be fun. That is until I was driving in the down pour of rain taking Avery to preschool realizing soon I would be out walking in it. In a bit of a panic I contemplated taking them to Target and letting them each pick out there own bag of candy or heading to the mall with the rest of the parents that wanted to stay dry or pretending that I looked at the calendar wrong and it wasn't Halloween at all. Thankfully the rain stopped by late afternoon and it turned out to be a beautiful night with only sweatshirts to keep us warm. We headed out around 6:30 and the kids barely slowed down the whole night. I'm pretty sure we made it to every house that had their lights on and finally back home around 9:00pm. Lucky for me I was the only candy inspector! YUM!!

Look who's 9!!

2008-11-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe he has been here for nine years and then other days it's not. :-) When Aric was little a lady told me once that she could tell exactly what he would look like when he was older. I laughed and smiled not exactly sure I could see what she was seeing. Now looking at his pictures from birth to nine I understand. He is my only dark haired, chubby cheeked cutie that has a smile that lights up the day. He is my adventurer, creator and leader of the pack. He talks non-stop and of course LOVES football. Happy Birthday Aric!

Birthday Parties

2008-10-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

I am going to be completely honest and admit that I STRONGLY DISLIKE kids parties (Jess said I shouldn't say hate.) Don't get me wrong the kids were good but everything about these parties STRESSES ME OUT! I can say this because today was Aric's "kid" birthday party. I'm pretty sure it's the NOISE, chaos, NOISE, food, NOISE, smelly boys, NOISE, all in all craziness and did I mention the NOISE??? We had 7 nine-year old boys ride the bus home after school today to enjoy pizza, brownies, icecream and then off to laser tag. It was all I could do to keep from climbing the walls. Imagine 7 boys playing Rock Band all wanting to be lead singer or a game of football where it takes 30 minutes to decide who is on who's team. PLEASE! When does this stop? I know I need to get a grip but I can feel the number of invitees dwindling in the years to come. Like, lets say maybe one person.....would that be mean? Here is a short video of our car ride to laser tag....I think you will understand about the volume.

Cardboard Testimonies

2008-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

I first saw this video on my cousins blog and thought it was AMAZING so I thought I would "pay it forward".

A hunting we will go....

2008-10-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

One of the requirements of my marriage was that I would be able to "camp out" for at least 7 days without running water, hot showers, telephones, etc... After 12+ years I think I've passed. It's not every one's idea of a dream vacation but I can tell you that this was one of the best and we didn't even get any deer. You might be asking yourself what is so great? I'll try and sum it up for you: no schedules, no practices, no computers, no telephones, endless football games, mini bikes, hiking, BB guns, Dinosaur adventures, movie night, family, friends, sleeping in, going to town for icecream, riding in the back of the truck, reading books, coloring, card games, smores, snow ball fights, snow cones, wood stoves, no diets and endless amounts of candy! Who could ask for anything more.

Can you say OUCH!

2008-09-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yep! Those are three pins you're looking at in Avery's elbow. The unfortunate fall from the monkey bars happened around 7:30pm on Monday night and she was in surgery by 11:30pm. My little monkey had just learned how to cross the lower monkey bars a few weeks ago and on this particular night she was determined to go for the big ones. Sadly she didn't make it and fell breaking and displacing both bones right above the left elbow. She is a trooper though and barely even cried, just went to sleep for most of it all. Right now she has a cast from her shoulder to her fingers until her swelling goes down and then gets the new cast this Monday for 3-4 more weeks. If you thought this was going to slow her down.... you're wrong. She is still crazy as ever but maybe a little more cautious for awhile.....we hope.

Race for the Cure 2008

2008-09-21T20:35:00.001-07:00

Today was the Race for the Cure and we celebrated by walking with Jess' mom who is a one year survivor! Our team name: The Half Rack's and don't be fooled Marlene actually picked out that name. We were proud to wear it and another walker even took the shirt off my back for her mom who is also a "half rack". Vicki Ann has put together our team for the last two years and has done a fabulous job joining family and friends. So if you have never walked think about it for next year!

CAVS football

2008-09-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

The boys are doing great at football. Aric is playing both offense and defense and can't get enough football. If he is not at practice or a game he is constantly talking about football, tossing the football in the house or tackling his sister. I knew he liked the sport but I never thought to this degree. Cade is playing flag football this year and loves it because he gets to run. He is pretty quick and seems to be hard to catch which is a good thing. :-) And yes, that is coffee he is drinking. Apparently when you forget the water bottles it's the next best energy drink!

First soccer game

2008-09-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

It was Avery's first soccer game last week and she had a great game. They are still in what I call the "beehive" stage where they just seem to run around in a swarm kicking at the ball. She loved it and said she loves playing but mostly for the snack that is handed out after the game.

Build-A-Bear Birthday

2008-09-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Avery's birthday on Friday since it seemed to be the ONLY day that we weren't at a sporting event. The day started off with preschool and then her and 5 friends went to Build-A-Bear for her party. It seemed to be a big hit and she loved it. Later that night we had our families over for her favorite meal.......spaghetti. I was just glad it was something I could actually cook!

It's A Girl!

2008-09-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

Avery Kirsten Bergers was born on September 10, 2003 at 6:34am. She weighed 7lbs 11oz (same as her mommy's birthday) and was 19 3/4 inches long.

In every way you complete our family.

Avery's first day of preschool

2008-09-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's finally here.....all the kids are in school! Avery started her first day of preschool and LOVED it! It is such a difference from her brother who I had to tell the teacher to pull him off of me. She walked right in hung up her backpack and said see ya. I wasn't sad, just not sure what to do with myself or more acurately where I should start. I find myself just wandering around the house looking at everything I should be doing but not sure what to do. Thankfully it is only the first week and I'll find my routine soon.

First Day of school

2008-09-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

I know it's sad but this is the only picture I got of the boy's first day of 3rd and 2nd grade. Aric was excited and up and ready in about 10 minutes. Cade I think was excited but would never admit it and of course would not allow his face to be photographed. Avery was in the picture because she had open house that day for preschool and just wanted to wear her backpack.

Whalen Island - Labor Day weekend

2008-09-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

We are soooo thankful for a three day weekend!! After football, football and more football a weekend away was just what we needed. We headed for Whalen Island which is near Pacific City and had an AWESOME time! The weather was great, the friends were great and all 15 kids got along. Who could ask for anything more?

Tryon Creek State Park

2008-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

After a full morning of football photos and practice scrimmages the kids were tired, hot and cranky. Once they were fed we loaded them up and decided to head to Tryon Creek. It's a great place that's not too far and filled with tons of hiking trails. I would love to say that we walked through but with the boys, including Jess, we pretty much run the whole way. And yes, Cade is in a stage where he has an aversion to having his picture taken. :-)

We'll miss you Bella...

2008-08-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We've experienced a traumatic loss in our family. We wanted to share this emotional time with you so you could help us mourn. Please be sure to watch until the end of the show as our children offer a prayer for Bella.

Seaside Beach

2008-08-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Next up in August was a family trip to Seaside beach with the Bergers. Grandma B. and I loaded up the kids early Friday and headed to the coast with the Great Grandparents in tow. Apparently I drive way to slow for the people in their 70's but we all made it safely. :-) The rest of the group rode in on motorcycles later that afternoon. We all stayed at an adorable little beach house that was in walking distance to the shore and to all the fun in town. We spent time collecting shells and playing bocci and then when the showers came we headed for the bumper cars and Deal or No Deal. The kids LOVED it all and I even got an elephant ear!

Cade turns 7

2008-08-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

We made it through another year and our cutie pie turned 7!!! We had our family party on his birthday August 6th with cake and ice cream and a surprise family trip to the movies. If you know Cade you know he LOVES Batman. So after presents we all loaded up and went to see the Dark Knight. I know what you are probably thinking ( I can't believe you took your kids to see that movie) and you are right it is completely disturbing! Aric spent the whole movie on grandma's lap and I was never so thankful that Avery fell asleep. Cade on the other hand LOVED everything about it which explains a lot about Cade. :-)

The Wolsky B & B

2008-08-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

This has become one our favorite B & B's ever! Maybe it's because it's actually our friends home and not open to the public :-) On July 31st we packed our small, completely overloaded luggage bag on the motorcycle and took off to Bend with our friends Mark and Kalli. We spent four days riding around to Crater Lake, Cascade Lakes, Sisters but always made it back to the B & B to relax. It was an awesome time and we can't wait to go again!

Pacific City.....the good part

2008-07-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Flying Solo

2008-07-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Pacific City was supposed to be a family affair but sometimes life gets in the way. The plan was for everyone to leave on Thursday and camp at Thousand Trails in Pacific City for three days. Unfortunately Terry couldn't get off work at all and Jess wasn't going to be able to leave until Friday evening. That meant Jenelle and I were going to fly solo pulling our tent trailer. Have I ever pulled the trailer? Yes! But Jess was right in the passenger seat. I actually wasn't worried about pulling it at all; I was more worried about setting up the trailer by myself which I only have practiced once. Anyhow, Jenelle and I dropped the girls off with grandpa Puller who was waiting for grandma to get off work and we headed to the beach with the three boys around 1:00p. Everything was going great, no traffic, good conversation, kids happy and content and then it happened. All of a sudden about 40 miles from Tillamook we heard a loud pop and then thud, thud, thud, thud until I could safely pull over in the parking lot of the Log Cabin Inn. Yep, we blew a tire on the trailer. Jenelle and I sat there for a moment shaking and laughing our heads off not sure what to do next. We got out of the car, surveyed the damage, and just looked at each other both afraid to ask the question.....Do you know how to change a tire? My answer was I don't even know where the spare tire is! Thankfully the coffee delivery man for the Log Cabin Inn came to our aid and quickly pointed out that it was securely attached to the back of my trailer. (Yes I am truly a brunette:-) ) Once that was located we searched and found some jacks and even the wrench for the car tires. Unfortunately the car wrench did not fit the trailer tires and the coffee delivery man had to leave as he was already late for his next delivery. He did, however, tell the cook at the Log Cabin Inn that we needed some desperate help. This is where our good deed for the day helper "Tiny" came in. "Tiny" which doesn't quite accurately describe the man, came out from behind the BBQ to help in the tire changing escapade. The only problem was that we still didn't have the right tools to do the job. Thankfully Tiny knew a few people who knew a few people on HWY 6 and borrowed some tools to change the tire. It was a tough job for a not so "tiny" man... so along came his friend "Digger" to help. Digger was a man that looked like a redneck Halloween costume my husband wore a few years back to a party. He was a huge help in providing an air jack to lift the trailer. Thankfully about an hour and a half later we were ready to roll. However, Digger was concerned the new tire looked a little low and suggested we back track about 1/8th of a mile to the gas station to put a little air in it for the rest of the trip. I quickly said ok and got the kids loaded in the car thanking them both repeatedly. Only until we were in the car, windows up, doors locked did I look at Jenelle and say we can't go to the gas station because I unfortunately did not practice backing the trailer up and can not look like a fool again in front of these kind hearted men who changed our tire. So Jenelle suggested we drive down the road a bit until we could find a spot where we could swing wide enough to turn the car/trailer around to head back to the gas station. This was a great solution until we pulled into the gas station to find out that someone had cut the air hose nozzle off about two days ago. This trip was just getting better by the minute! Again we stood looking at each other dumbfounded until Justin the gas attendant took pity on us and went to his car pulling out his own little air compressor and filling our tire for us. Thank you Justin!! Finally we were on the road again, for the third time, and safely made it to the campground to find out that Ranger Bob had lost our reservation!!! This trip was quickly becoming a NIGHTMARE! This took another 45 minutes to straighten out and pick our campsite and begin the joy of trying to back the trailer into our spot. After about five tries and laughing hysterically we actually got it backed in and unloaded. I can't wait until my next camp out!!!

Annual Friends Campout

2008-07-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

We had our annual campout with some great friends at Metzler Park this year. Between the four families I think there was around 13 kids. The weather was great so we could be outside the whole time and the kids played at the creek and caught crawdads. The Oey's taught the big boys how to play bocce ball which has become our new favorite game.

Safety Town

2008-07-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

Avery wasn't supposed to be able to attend Safety Town this year but because my mom knows the director she finagled her way in. This program teaches kindergartners thru first graders all about fire safety, gun safety, bike safety, car safety, police, poison control, recycling, and any other kind of safety you can think of. I love it so much that my kids go each year or maybe it's that I love that it means free time for me from 9:30 to 11:30. :-)

Isn't he sweet.......NOT!

2008-07-11T08:16:00.001-07:00

Yes, today is my 33rd birthday and I awoke this morning to receive this lovely email from my adoring husband that I just had to share because it made me laugh out loud. Here it is:

Happy birthday old lady! Wow…you’re 33!!! And you’re a cougar since your younger, vibrant husband is only 32! You’re a lucky lady to have bagged such a young stud! I know it must be a little weird with all your friends talking behind your back about the age difference, and people giving you that look in public, but I’m proud of you for being secure in yourself and not caring what others think…that takes courage.

I hope you have a fantastic day…I love you very much.

Your younger husband.

P.S. Don’t forget to take your pills…

Jess Bergers
Key Account Manager
Cooper Bussmann Transportation Products

It has begun.....

2008-07-11T07:58:00.001-07:00

Well he has finally made it to the third grade and tackle football. I thought we were going to be able to take the summer off from sports, but who knew football starts in July. We just started conditioning camp every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and he absolutely LOVES it. All he talks about is getting his gear and finally using the football. I think he might actually be more excited than his dad. :-) And no his team is not the Huskers I posted that for his father and grandfather who probably have far, far, far off hopes that he will go to college in Nebraska and play for the Huskers. Sorry guys, I think he is a homebody like me and will stay in state.

Some Summer Fun

2008-07-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

Since we are on summer break I have been trying to include some fun activities to keep the kids busy and keep my sanity. I'm not sure mini golfing was the right choice. Sure it looks like we had a great time but what you don't see is the 5 kids arguing over what color ball they got, whining over who gets to go first, running all over the course, ball mysteriously landing in the ponds over and over again, etc... By the end of it all I was a basket case and had to go straight to the pool and medicate myself. It's a rough life I know.

Avery's dance recital

2008-06-28T18:00:00.001-07:00

That's our happy dancer.....isn't she cute. Seriously, the tutu was adorable and I think she was just being naughty because she had about a 1000 pictures taken. Today was Avery's very first dance recital and she of course did a beautiful job. She had our ever faithful cheering section there to watch her perform and her brothers even endured the torture of having to be there. I think they actually liked it but I'm sure they will never admit it.

A weekend surprise!

2008-06-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

Jess gave me a wonderful surprise for our anniversary with a two day stay at Mcmenamins Hotel Oregon in Mcminville. We ate, went wine tasting, ate, went to the beach, ate, went shopping, ate, read books, ate, took naps, ate, watched a movie and ate again. I'm not sure why but our anniversaries ALWAYS involve food and a lot of it. I think I must have gained 5 pounds by the time we made it back home. All in all it was the perfect gift at the perfect time.

HAPPY 12TH ANNIVERSRY

2008-06-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

Today is our 12th wedding anniversary and I'm amazed at how fast time has gone. Jess and I met in sophomore German class when we were just a young 15 years old. He was madly in love with my best friend and I couldn't stand being around him. But Somewhere over the course of that year our hearts had changed and interests had sparked in each other. Five years later we were getting married. I guess you could say we literally grew up together and he has been my best friend for the last 18 years. I couldn't ask for anything more in husband and he is everything I would want my boys to be as a man. He is my best friend, our spiritual leader, my comedian, a wonderful father and still as hot as ever. :-) He is my past, my present and forever will be my future. Thank you for saying "I do" and loving me the way you do. I am truly blessed.

Just a quick update

2008-06-16T21:53:00.001-07:00

I thought I would post a quick update about Bella. MY TRAP WORKED!!!! My husband laughed and laughed when he found out that I was on the computer googling how to trap a lost hamster. But after reading through a few websites and gathering items around the house Avery and I created our own trap. ( I should have snapped a picture of it but forgot to. ) It pretty much consisted of phone books for stairs with a few apple slices leading up to a bucket for her to jump into and eat the rest of her food. To my amazement when I went to check the next morning she actually fell for it (literally) and was in the bucket! She was a little dehydrated and very grumpy but is safely back in her cage again being tormented by our four year old.

Has anyone seen Bella????

2008-06-14T22:27:00.001-07:00

That's right people. We have only had Bella the hamster for 3 days and already she has gone missing. Yesterday after playing with her most of the day Avery carefully put her back into her cage and we left for a birthday party. Sadly when we got home late that evening Bella was no where to be found. Today we set traps out in hopes of her getting hungry and looking for food but we haven't seen any sign of her. Our household is very distraught since she was on loan to us from school and the boys are sure she has died and gone to heaven. Jess on the other hand is a different kind of distraught as I'm sure he is envisioning chewed rodent holes in his walls somewhere. Please pray that Bella comes back and that one day Jess will trust us with another pet. :-)

Hiking at Mt. Talbert

2008-06-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

It was our first "official day" of summer break and we finally had beautiful weather. We started off with a very lazy morning, cleaning the garage, water fights and then hit the trails at Mt. Talbert. The boys absolutely loved it and were about 30 feet ahead of us the whole time. Avery hung back with me and we took our time. Of course with me as a guide we ended up hiking for almost two hours since our car was mysteriously not at the trail head that I thought we started at. Thankfully Aric is more like his daddy and can actually read a map and figured out where we needed to go.

MOVING ON TO 3RD GRADE

2008-06-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

Aric is officially a 3rd grader! His class celebrated with an ice cream party with all the sprinkles and whip cream that you can imagine. He LOVED his teacher, Mr. Fox and already is bummed that he won't have him next year. As you can see Avery fit in with both classes and even got her picture in their year book. She spent the day going around with Aric collecting signatures for their autograph books. I don't think she will have any problems starting preschool. :-)

MOVING ON TO 2ND GRADE

2008-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Cade is officially a second grader!! He finished up the first grade by being narrator 1 in two plays at school, which was a big leap for him since he is usually pretty shy. We were very proud of him.

A little rain never hurts anyone

2008-06-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Battleground Lake was our first campout for the year and I was never so glad to have purchased a trailer last fall! The weekend wasn't looking so great as we pulled in on Friday evening and the torential down pours started. Thankfully the kids were very excited to hang out in the trailers as we adults huddled together under our little awnings to stay dry. As luck would have it, little by little we started to dry out and by Sunday it was gorgeous. I'm ready for the next one!

Friends for the weekend

2008-06-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jess and I got to experience what it would be like to be a family of 7 for a whole weekend. We concluded that it wasn't so bad except that we would never be able to afford the food bill! We had a great time and the kids all got along. We filled the weekend with trips to the park, swimming at the pool, smores around the campfire and playing at grandma's. Avery definitely wants Reese to move in.

Memorial Day weekend fun

2008-05-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

What do you do when it's Memorial Day weekend and it's pouring down rain? You go bowling! (Great Grandma Murray would be so proud of us) And that is truly how Aric helped his sister get the ball rolling. Thankfully no one else had our great idea and we had the whole bowling alley to ourselves.

2008-05-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for nice weather! The church group was able to get together again for a wonderful ride up to Skamania Lodge to have lunch. There were about 30 bikes total and about 40 riders. The 99 degree weather on the way home though, was not so much fun as we would drive by and I would see all those nice people in their cars with their windows rolled up and hair blowing in their air-conditioners.

Die Hard Fans

2008-05-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

We are finally half way through baseball season and surprisingly this was our first rain out game. I thought I would post this to show the dedication of our family who sits two rows deep to come see our Cader play his t-ball game. Avery however, only made it about 5 mintues until she fell fast asleep in grandma Bergers lap.

The tooth is out!

2008-05-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Cade came home the other day with his front tooth literally hanging by a root and he wouldn't let anyone come near it. He made it the whole day wiggling and turning it to no avail and then finally an hour into bedtime the boys came running out of their room with tooth in hand. It turns out that after Aric reminded him that the tooth fairy would leave money Cade let his big brother pull it out for him.

Play Gym

2008-05-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

For years grandma Puller has taken the kiddo's to the play gym every Tuesday. Sunburst gymnastics has opened up their warehouse to preschool children and let me tell you the kids love it! They spend the whole hour running non stop from one thing to another.

From a Harley to a............WHAT????

2008-05-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Don't panic! We didn't trade in the Harley. My parents picked up this prize possession for the little boys not the big one. :-) Aric and Cade have been begging for one ever since the neighbor girl got hers.
They were a little shaky for the first 2 minutes and now they are thinking about bringing over the bike ramp for a jump......AAAAHHHH!!!!
The race is on! (not really) I'm pretty sure she can beat them. :-)

Take your kid to work day

2008-05-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

Last week was take your kid to work day. Aric was able to go with his Aunt Na and received the grand tour of Veris Industries, built things, and was treated to a gift card to Border's book store. Cade went to work with his dad and was filled up with every kind of sugary treat you can think of by all of his co-workers. He was able to sit in on some conference calls and left a very impressive drawing of Spiderman climbing a skyscraper on his dry erase board. Unfortunately they forgot the camera so no pics of Cade's day.

They're climbing the walls!!

2008-05-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Climbing the walls is the latest and greatest thing at our house. I guess you can tell that is has been raining a little too much around home. Thankfully that's as far as they have been able to go or else I would be climbing the walls.

BASEBALL SEASON IS HERE!

2008-05-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Baseball has begun and both the boys are playing this year. Aric has moved up to transitional and loves the games A LOT more than the practices. He is the official score keeper when we aren't supposed to be keeping score. :-) Cade is in his second year of t-ball and has become quite the hitter. Avery is still just the number one cheerleader for both.